NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India’s trade deficit sharply narrowed in February to $9.85 billion from $15.17 billion in the previous month, the trade ministry said in a statement on Friday, helped by a rise exports.

Trade deficit stood at $9.72 billion in February 2019.

Merchandise exports rose 2.91% to $27.65 billion in February compared with a year earlier, while imports rose 2.48% to $37.50 billion, the data showed.